


Acceptance

by XskyelineX



Category: Total Drama (Cartoon)
Genre: College, Post-Canon, Romance, Slow Burn, University
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-24
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2019-11-29 13:27:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18223751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XskyelineX/pseuds/XskyelineX
Summary: Adjusting to college life can be difficult as an ex-reality contestant. ESPECIALLY when living with the your former co-stars. Running from her past while trying to co-habituate with it, Heather is just trying to get her degree and get out- but sometimes you have to accept the facts and put up with bat-shit crazy housemates, a persistent ex and life after TV.Post All-Stars TD college Fic. Aleheather,





	1. Chapter I- Heather

For some reason, Heather hadn’t gotten into her choice of colleges. Hell, she hadn’t even gotten into one of her top FIVE colleges, and instead she had to slum it, with a less prestigious college than she deserved.

And it SUCKED.

Her parents had pretty much stopped contacting her. Sure, they hadn’t really been present in the first place, and they still paid her tuition and sent her money each month, but other than that, she never heard from them. Her so-called “friends’ had also ceased contact. The only people that had bothered to get in touch with her were the last people she wanted to hear from, and naturally she has ignored every text, letter and email that they sent.

Her castmates from her reality TV days kept bugging her, but they couldn’t possibly have something of any importance to her, Heather was back to normal life and about to head off to college.

She’d been staying in a small motel for the months before the term began, and the day had finally come when she could move into her dorm. _Finally,_ she thought, the dingy motel room had beginning to get on her nerves, it didn’t at all suit the lifestyle she deserved, the life she would have had, if she hadn’t been robbed after working so hard to win.

Heather struggled to carry her bags up the steps of the dorm, her arms full and bags slipping from her grip. She had almost made it, before tripping on the last step and tumbling down, her luggage scattered around her.

 _Could this day get any worse?_ she thought to herself, rubbing her already swelling knee.

“Want some help?” a pale hand we stretched in front of her, and she glanced up to see her former teammate and rival.

“What are _you_ doing here gothy?” Heather looked up at Gwen, narrowing her eyes

“I drew the short straw and had to come get you” Gwen sighed, rolling her eyes

“Get me? Like I’d want to go anywhere with you!”

“I’d say the mansion Beth bought is nicer than this dump” the pale girl shrugged, gesturing to the drab grey building that towered over them. “And as a plus, you get your own room”

“What makes you think I want to bunk in with you and that dork?”

“You won’t have to room with some random” Gwen sighed, exasperated. “And, the bathrooms aren’t communal. Also, it’s not just me and Beth, it’s almost everyone from the show. Surprisingly, this is the best college any of us got into.”

“Fine, I guess that sounds okay- but if you think I’m going to singing Kumbaya by the fireplace you’ve got another thing coming” Heather threatened, gathering her things with the other girls help, loading them into the small hatchback that Gwen drove and grudgingly climbing into the passenger seat.

 

 

 

The house was MASSIVE, unlike anything she had ever seen, it was clear that Beth couldn’t have bought this house with just her winnings from season two, the expansive gardens blooming with flowers, a stream passing through, glittering in the sunlight. The house itself was beautiful, a modern design, the different levels clad in mostly glass, giving the home an irregular, but unique shape, adapting to the slight hill the house perched on. Around the side of the house, Heather spied an infinity edge pool, surrounded by luxurious palm trees and recliners.

Heathers eyes widened “How did Beth afford all this?” she breathed, taken aback by the beauty of the structure.

“She didn’t spend the money when she won- I think season two right? She invested it and made big bucks, and lucky for us, she decided she wanted to go to college here”

“So, who’s actually here?”

“Pretty much everyone from the first three seasons- I think the only ones who aren’t are Duncan, he’s still locked up; Justin is modelling somewhere in France, Zeke is still feral, so they’ve got him in a rehabilitation centre. Oh, and Blaineley- since she’s like thirty.”

“And everyone that _is_ here is living in this house?” Heather questioned.

“Yes.”

“Everyone?”

“Yes Heather” Gwen replied, exasperated.

“Even- “

“Alejandro?” The goth cut Heather off. “Yes, your little boyfriend is here, and he’s a really good cook, even if he _is_ an evil snake”

“That- Jerk” Heather stuttered “Is NOT my boyfriend”

“I thought you guys got together last season?” she questioned

“I don’t want to talk about it”

Gwen seemed sceptical and focused her attention on the road, and pulled into the driveway, parking behind a red lancer.

The welcoming party wasn’t very, uh- welcoming, Heather speculated. It looked like most of her castmates had better things to do, Beth and Sierra being the only ones giving more than a hello before retiring to different parts of the house, the purple haired girl enthusiastically taking her hands and pulling her down the halls.

Heather had never really liked the superfan, but she resolved to play nice, she wasn’t exactly the best at making friends- sure she had always been the queen bee, but actual friends? They were few and far between.

“So since last season, me and my Cody have been getting really close-, like we were more than friends since World Tour, his words not mine” Sierra rambled “But last week he surprised me with a trip to my favourite restaurant and the movies, we aren’t going steady yet, but he held MY hand. I mean, isn’t he just the cutest” The girl sighed, clutched her arms to her chest

“Sure, super cute” Heather deadpanned

Sierra stopped at the last door in the expansive hallway, and gestured to the room behind it

“This is your room Heather, I helped plan it, I hope you like it”

Heather placed her bags at hear feet, stepping into the room. It was bigger than her room back home, lush cream carpet lining the floor with walls to match and a red feature wall behind the large four-poster bed, complete with a black bedspread and satin pillows.

The room took the breath from her lungs. It was her dream bedroom, the luxurious décor catching her eye, the mahogany furniture embellished with detailed designs, small cherry blossoms carved into the wood, the light of sunset pouring in from the large bay window opposite to the door.

“I- I love it” the black-haired girl breathed.

“Well I have to go, gotta get ready for tomorrow- I’ve got a class at 8am”

Still in awe, Heather was left alone in her new room, taking in every detail as she began to unpack her belongings, this was miles better than the dorm room she had toured at the beginning of the summer, noticing every detail and combing it over with her gaze.

Once she had unpacked, Heather sat on the bed and pulled her laptop from her bag, she had not even pressed the power button when a figure appeared in the doorway.

“Dinners ready Heather, and it’s DJ’s turn to cook so you know it’s going to be good” Owen exclaimed, drawing out the end of his sentence. “The dining room is the third door to the left of the foyer”

The large blonde skipped away, and Heather sighed, her day had already been tiring, and now she was forced to sit through a dinner with people who don’t even like her.

“Let’s get this over with” She muttered to herself, following the directions she had been given to the dining hall.

Dinner was awkward. Extremely awkward, the silence that settled over the group uneasy, and a few noticeable absences adding to the tension. The only positive thing was the food, and she sat stirring her pasta, head in her hand.

The only chatter came from Beth and Lindsay, who were discussing their timetables for this semester, along with Geoff and Bridgette, who were canoodling at the end of the table.

“Soooo, what’s your major?” Heather asked her former teammate, Courtney who was sitting next to her.

“Corporate law of course” The brunette answered “Honours as well. You?’

“Business and International trade”

“Cool” Courtney replied sharply, their stout conversation coming to a sharp end.

Soon after she finished her meal, the rest of the group was done, and started to collect the dishes, as if it was routine. Heather followed suite and followed her castmates into the kitchen.

Once again, Heather was taken aback by the kitchen, sure she had been dazzled by the dining hall, but she’d been to many banquets served in high-class establishments, and that was nothing new, but this was different, it felt more like home than any place she had lived before.

The kitchen was adorned with marvel benchtops and an aqua splashback, assorted racks holding spices and herbs, a corkboard with scattered notes and photographs pinned to it. Complete with retro style appliances, the room gave off a modern, but homey vibe. Posted on the fridge was a chores list, Courtney’s neat handwriting easily recognisable, showcasing the daily, weekly and monthly chores they each shared in. Heather scanned the rota for her own name, discovering she already had a list of chores to her name, and took a photo for memory.

After she had cleaning, Heather decided to take a stroll around the house, the bright chandeliers lighting the otherwise dark corridors. Every part of the house filled her with wonder, it different greatly from her childhood home, which had been an old mansion fill with antiques. Here, she felt at peace with the ornate designs and the modern furniture.

 

As she strolled the corridors, she discovered that Beth had organised the ex-contestants so that the men were in the west wing of the house and women resided in the east. In the centre of the house, there was a large library where several wooden desks lined the back wall, partitions separating them and bookshelves covering the other two. At the centre of the library were a cluster of sofas surrounding a coffee table, a matching kitchenette next to the doorway.

Alongside the library, there were two living rooms, complete with TVs and fireplaces, a home theatre and a soundproof music room. Heather was sure that she hadn’t seen the entire house when she came across a door with an all too familiar name printed on it.

**‘Alejandro’**

She paused at this door, standing outside it for several minutes, contemplating whether to knock.

_You know you can’t Heather. Not after what happened_

Heather started to walk away, it was late, and she was exhausted. She knew that eventually they’d run into on another, hell she agreed to live with him and the other castmates.

 _Why did agree to this?_  She thought to herself, shaking her head.

About halfway down the hallway, the door she had been standing in front of swung open, and there he was, his perfectly toned body glistening with water and his hair damp. In the few years after All-Stars had been filmed, he had changed, his hair longer and he had gotten taller once again. Heather stood there staring at his conditioned body.

_What are you doing Heather? You agreed not to get distracted by him again_

Heather thought back to the promise she made herself and shook herself out of her trance.

“Heather?” He inquired, locking his gaze to hers, stepping out of his room, clad only in a towel. “I though I heard someone out here”

_Remember, no distractions._

“Alejandro. How Err- nice it is to see you.” Heather stammered her words but kept her posture stoic and stiff.

“Look- Heather, I think we need to talk about what happened”

“Oh, do you see what time it is? Nearly midnight, geez, I better go to bed” Heather nervously excused herself, rushing away from her ex-lover.

Heather was never usually this nervous around people, she always kept her confident persona on, but after opening up to Alejandro about her past, and with the way things ended she couldn’t face him, she wasn’t she ever could. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,   
> So I'm gonna make things clear here  
> \- It is centred are Heather, however there will be spin offs and one-shots for characters I can't delve into too much here  
> \- In this fic, Sierra was a normal competitor and not a crazy ass stalker.   
> \- Her relationship with Cody is Healthy, and not abusive like it is in canon   
> \- Saying that, Coderra probs won't be around for long, I have other plans  
> \- This fic will include some adult themes; such as sexual references, minor/ recreational drug use and strong language. I will put a warning at the beginning of said chapter for everything but language, that goes for the whole fic.


	2. Chapter 2

 

Heather wasn’t used to waking to an alarm; her father’s booming voice followed by various methods of inhumane torture courtesy of Chris had assured that. But sure, as the sun was to rise, the blaring of her phone woke her from her slumber early in the morning.

Disgruntled, she reached over to shut the device off, stretching over to the other side of the bed. Sitting up among the lush sheets, she started to take in her surroundings, slowly recounting the previous days events; and how she came to wake in this unfamiliar setting, rather than her drab dorm room.

_I’ll never get used to this_

Swinging out of bed, she spread her toes into the soft carpet, stepping over to the window and throwing the curtain. Taking in the view, she could spy Eva on her morning jog- and Tyler trailing behind her; struggling to keep up with her swift pace and tripping over himself.

The sun had barely peaked over the horizon by the time Heather had completed her morning routine, brushing the last knots out of her hair before tying it back in her signature ponytail and placing her laptop in her bag.

Checking the time as she turned her speaker off, she grumbled to herself “Why in the world did I choose 8am classes” sighing, she locked her bedroom door and stepped into the freezing halls.

It may have only been half past five in the morning, but the house was bustling with activity.

As she approached the kitchen, Heather could muffled chatter, masked by the clanging of pots and pans that rang through the halls. She inhaled deeply, preparing herself for whoever was behind that door- there wasn’t many of her former castmates she could tolerate. As she inhaled, Heather could smell the most divine breakfast she could imagine, her mouth watering at the scent.

Pushing through the ornate saloon-style doors, she could see DJ and Bridgette moving in perfect sync, tossing ingredients to each other without a word. Turning her attention to the kitchen table, a large spread of gourmet dishes was laid out before her.

The cooks murmured a distracted greeting, their attentions clearly on the task at hand. Heather piled her plate high, loading a plateful pancakes and bacon, and proceeding to take a seat at the breakfast bar, rather than where Owen and Geoff were currently inhaling their food.

She scrolled absentmindedly through her phone, taking small bites of her food, revelling the taste.

The doors knocking against their frame pulled her attention to Courtney and Gwen strolling through into the room, arm in arm. Looking back at her plate, Heather focused her attention on her meal, ignoring them when they took a seat beside her.

Heather could feel their eyes on her, their whispers obviously about her.

“Soooooo Heather…” Courtney trailed, leaning on the counter” We heard you running through the hall last night”

“And?”

“And we were wondering why you were making such a ruckus” The goth continued, in a deadpanned voice. “ You should have more consideration of your neighbours”

“I don’t have to- wait a minute; isn’t your room on another floor?” She snapped back at the girl.

The pair blushed, looking away, as if trying to find an excuse. “We were trying to study” Courtney answered “Not that it’s any of your business”

Heather eyed her former teammates “ Hm. That’s odd seeing as no classes have started yet. But that’s none of my business, just like how me running is none of yours” Heather stood, grabbing her bag. “You guys **always** have to ruin a good thing, like my breakfast”

Leaving the girls at the bar, Heather rose, and sped out of the room. _Maybe living here will be more challenging than I though._ Waving a half-assed thankyou to Bridgette and DJ.

True to form, it was raining when Heather got off the bus. The bitter cold was biting through her jacket, chilling her to the bone. Unfortunately, it wasn’t cold enough for snow, but it proceeded to drizzle in icy rain, small pieces of sleet crashing to the ground among the puddles of water.

The campus matching the weather, drab grey buildings towered over browning grass and dying gardens. It didn’t have the vibe of a prestigious college, but it was functional, and fit her needs.

Heather ran into the large building, shielding her hair from the rain with her bag.  Pulling out her campus map she had received in the mail, she checked she was headed in the right direction. As she set off across campus, the rain continued, and Heather saw a familiar face, he was strolling in the same direction as her, as if headed to the same Accounting lecture she was.

 _He can’t be in the same class as me_ She thought to herself, praying that she wouldn’t have to put up with him outside of sharing a house, as the thought of it crossed her brain, he turned into the classroom she had made a beeline for.

Because she’d been late, when she entered the room the only seat she could see was directly beside him, the cramped desks leaving little room for personal space. She scanned the room, hoping that the small lecture hall would have another place for her to sit, but alas she found none and was forced to sit next to her ex-lover.

 “Hello _Chica”_  he whispered as Heather reluctantly took a seat beside him, angling her body towards the front of the room, attempting to ignore his presence.

After a pause, Alejandro opened tried again “So, you aren’t talking to me now?”

“I’m here to learn _Al,_ appreciate if you let me do so” she threw back at him, eyes and tone cold as the rain still falling in sheets outside.

“Carry on then”  Alejandro sighed in resolve.

The class had been torture. Two hours of sitting next to him, his warmth radiating onto her and even his presence keeping her acutely on edge, the entire class she had been taking notes, but still she was completely unfocused on the content and distracted by how close his body was to hers.

_I’m never going to be late again. This is bullshit_

Heather knew that she couldn’t let herself be distracted, but her mind wandered elsewhere, reminiscing in how wonderful their time together had been, how arm his embrace was and how she knew he would always protect her, and that she would do the same.

They’d been fierce competitors- World Tour had been their season; the show’s editors had crafted the episodes so well, that when rewatching it, you could tell from the get-go that they would be the focus that season, but never completely giving away that they were destined to be the finalists.

They’d also been fierce lovers, constantly bickering, but also in perfect sync. The pair of them were an unstoppable force, if only they had realised it sooner; they would’ve been rich.

Daydreaming about the short time they’d spent together eventually led her thoughts to her end; the messy, gut wrenching break-up that pained her to think about; she’d had everything and then nothing in the space of a few hours- from an unstoppable force to an inconsolable mess.

“Heather?” His warm voice broke her daze, startling her. “Can you move?”

The class had ended while she was lost in her thoughts, and the students had started to file out. Heather quickly gathered her things and moved out of his way, watching him leave the room from her place.

She shook her head, as if she could remove the thought of him with the movement and started the trek back to the bus. Heather push through the large doors, only to reveal the drizzle from earlier had turned into a full-blown downpour, trees being whipped in the wind and hammering down, echoing off the tin roof.

Heather ran through the courtyard, making a beeline for the bus stop. By the time she reached the sanctuary of the small shelter, her clothes were soaked through, and she stood there shaking. Even more true to her luck, she could see that the bus was rounded the corner, disappearing from sight.

Sighing heavily, she looked at the schedule; the next bus was an hour away. Shaking, she took a seat on the creaky bench, resolving that more water couldn’t do any more damage than it already had.

Heather had been trembling on the bench for ten minutes, when a luxurious red car rolled up, the passenger side window rolled down, and Alejandro leaning over from the driver’s seat.

“Want a lift?” He offered with a slightly patronising tone.

“L-l-like I want a ride with you” she trembled in response, clutching her arms tightly

“Ah Heather, always so stubborn.” Rolling the window up, Heather kept her eyes on him as he climbed out of the car, proceeding to walk over to her, a warm jacket over his arm.

She eyed the fur-lined leather, recalling how it was the same jacket that she borrowed constantly while they were together.

Alejandro wrapped the jacket around her shoulders, taking her book bag out of her hands and putting in the back seat of his car. “Get in the car Heather, you’ll get a chill”

She reluctantly ducked into the passenger seat angling her body towards the window while he walked to his side of the car, watching the rain roll down the outside of the glass.

Glad to be out of the rain, she leant against window, yearning for a warm showering and wishing literally anyone else could have picked her up.

“How are you liking college?”

Turning her head, she arched her eyebrow in his direction. “Just because I caught a ride with you does _not_ mean I’m going to talk to you”

“You’re talking to me right now” He quipped, and Heather’s quizzical look turned into a scowl “Hey, hey Chica, no need for the sour look- why can’t we just chat?”

“Because I have absolutely no interest in chatting with _you_ ”

“Why not?”

“Because I-” Heather faltered. She couldn’t admit to him how much he’d hurt her- hell, she couldn’t admit it to herself. “Because I don’t want to”

“That didn’t answer my question _Chica”_

“Stop calling me that”

“Ah Heather, you always did hate that”

“Shut up and drive _Al”_ She smirked, watching him visibly shudder, she returned her gaze to the rain drops racing down the window.

The rest of the drive had gone quickly, and on arriving back at the house, Heather had grabbed her bag and raced to her room.

Heather flopped onto her bed, exhausted, the day had tired her both physically and emotionally; her body still shaking and drenched from the downpour. Clutching her jacket closer, she inhaled the lingering scent, basking in its familiarity.

Shaking herself out of her daydream, she groaned, wishing she had anything to distract her from her own thoughts; in the competition it had been easy to keep him off her mind- strategize, stay focused and win the million. Now, it was normal life; they were adults trying to make it in the real world. Now, she was an ex-reality show contestant and a regular college student, and she began to wonder whether moving into the house was a good idea.


	3. Chapter 3

 

Sometime after she’d collapsed into bed she’d dozed off. During her slumber she’d dreamt of when they first met.

_Gwen attempted to push ahead of her, eager to get off the bus, the two growled at each other, the goth making a jab at her newly bought hair extensions. Stepping off the bus, Heather peered over her sunglasses, assessing the other contestants. There wasn’t much difference than last season- and even less to be impressed by._

_Her castmates were predictable- they followed the same patterns each and every time, they’d all be easy to beat. This was_ her _season- she had it in the bag. She joined her fellow contestants, standing silently at the back of the group. The incessant chatter joined the howls of the wind on the breezy runway, watching as Chris introduced each of the cast members to the camera._

_“ And now to mix things up and keep it all fresh, we're adding two new competitors! He's an honour-roll student with a diplomat for a dad and an amazing ability to charm the pants off most species. Alejandro!” The hosts voice echoed among them; the cast had gone silent; not realising that there had been new competitors on the ride here._

_Now this,_ this _was a wild card. This ‘Alejandro’ that stepped off the bus was entirely fitting to his introduction; his tan skin and long hair glowing in the sun- even Heather was taken aback by him, apart from her, he was probably the most attractive person here._

_But there was certainly something else about him, Heather couldn’t entirely place it, but in all his glory, she knew he was trouble- he was already making headway with the other contestants, Heather watching as he helped Bridgette and Izzy to their feet._

_Alejandro had quickly become her biggest on-screen adversary; a few weeks later they were at each other’s throats- during the competition, and other on-screen moments, she couldn’t stand him, he was practically perfect- if not a little arrogant._

_She couldn’t sense his strategy right away- he was hot and cold. One minute she thought she could see right through him- the next she was left clueless, and in front of the other contestants, she tried to appear as if she didn’t care about him whatsoever- Heather considered how well she played this role, and even in times of pressure, she kept up the façade._

_In the few private moments they could grasp, away from the prying eyes of the camera, they had moments that were- different- from the rest. To anyone else, it may have seemed like a rich friendship was blooming, but these moments where they were alone only made the rivalry grow._

_Few and far between, their moments of peace were rare- they were vying for first place, and they couldn’t show weakness- not to their team mates, not each other. The pair despised each other- the tension between them could’ve been cut with a knife._

_At this point, it was late in the competition- and she’d gotten herself wedged in a goddamn hole. There was no one but the various cameramen and crew for miles- she was stuck, she wouldn’t die out there; legally they just had to wait until the challenge was over before they could fish her out._

_That was it, she was going to lose the competition, and by extension- the million dollars she had worked so hard for, she thought- when she heard his warm laugh fill the air, the sound of it infuriating her._

_“Don’t just stand there, get me out of here!” She cried, eyeing him as he inspected the oil slick she had discovered “And don’t even think about it Alejandro, that barrel is mine!”_

_Heather had barely finished her sentence when she heard the familiar ding of the song bell, accompanied by their ‘gracious’ host. Alejandro began the musical number, while she sat there, disgruntled and still wedged underneath the boulder._

_“ I left Bridgette stuck to a pole; robbed Leshawna of her fabulous soul; made even Courtney lose control- now I’m gonna leave you, wedged up in hole!” he taunted her, burst into a powerful chorus. “This is how we will end it- this game we have played. This is how we will end it- your bill must be paid!”_

_His song infuriated her. Heather wanted nothing more than to scream at him- and if she were able; push him off a cliff. Nevertheless, she knew she had to sing in order to stay in the game- even if her chances of winning the challenge were slim; she didn’t come this far to be eliminated by a song._

_She join the ballad- singing along to the tune, hastily making up the words as she went along “ Shouldn’t’ve mocked you for having to dig, help me out and I’ll be your human drill rig-“_

_“You think I’m gonna fall for that- it ain’t a tea party- it’s combat” he retorted- ignoring her plea, before launching into chorus again._

_Heather’s face was forlorn, she knew they hated each other- but she had hoped their few moments of fondness would encourage him to prevent her elimination in such a shameful way. She wasn’t going to lie; at this point she was on the verge of tears- all she had worked for was crumbling at her feet; and she knew she couldn’t let it end like this- it wasn’t right_

_As she sang her thoughts, he flinched; he knew it was beneath him- but this was his chance to eliminate his biggest competition._

_She stopped singing and cleared her throat, locking eyes with him. “Please, Alejandro. You and I have been the greatest adversaries this game has ever seen! Is this how you wanna win it? Because I got jammed into a pit by a stupid rock? Is that the victory you want?”_  
  


_His cold resolve faltered, his warm brown eyes softening- and again, he began to sing._

_“ I left… Bridgette stuck to a pole,_

_Robbed Leshawna of her fabulous soul,_

_Made even Courtney lose control;_

_But- I can’t leave you, wedged in a hole” Heather smiled at his change of heart, clapping as he lifted the rock from above her_

_“This is not how we’ll end it- this game we have played! This is not how we’ll end it- but there’s a bill to be payed” lifting her out of the hole, he drew her close, locking eyes as he stopped singing._

_“Could you… put me down?” she asked tenderly_

_“You will never, never, never vote for me.” He stated, his face hardening_

_“Of course not, there’s only like two votes left anyway” she assured him, stroking his cheek._

_“Promise?”_

_“I promise, now can you cut the King-Kong act and put me the ‘Heller’ down?” As Alejandro set her down, she reached for her pickaxe- turning to dig for the barrel she had earlier found._

_“Uh-uh, now you will help me dig up a barrel, we will finish this challenge together”_

_Later, they sat the elimination ceremony, tensions once again high. Heather had earlier vented to the confessional- just to clear up that she hadn’t enjoyed him holding her._

_Which she had._

_A lot._

_But she couldn’t let her feelings get in the way of the game- she was here for one thing, and one thing only; to win._

_By the time had come to vote, she was conflicted- on the one hand Sierra was a threat. She’d managed to get both herself and Cody to the final four; flying under everyone’s radar- voting Cody off would destroy her._

_On the other hand, Alejandro was even more of a threat. He got under her skin in a way that no one else could, and he was so good at everything. She’d just have to hope for another eating challenge._

_She’d earlier talked to Sierra- who had been after her blood all day; she’d found a photoshopped picture of Heather and Cody (something that sickened Heather to even think about) and was out for revenge. Alejandro had been the culprit behind the photo- doing his best to get Heather eliminated._

_That was the final straw- she knew if she voted for him, he’d be a goner- simple. But a nagging voice at the edge of her mind told her not to._

_Pushing the thought aside, she stamped his passport, laying a finger on the photo._

_“Goodbye Alejandro”_

_Her plan had been simple. Eliminate Alejandro, win the game._

_But of course, Sierra_ had _to go and blow up the plane._

_During the explosion, his first instinct was to shield Heather with his own body- his ‘temple’ as he had called it- and Heather’s stomach turned. What had she done? Sure, she hated him. Despised even. But In her passionate hate- she realised- she also was falling for him._

_Shortly after the explosion, they ran to Sierra’s aid, she was burnt to a crisp- but alive. Heather ran back to the fire and quickly threw the passports in the fire- he couldn’t know, none of them could._

Heather awoke to a knock at the door- she lifted her head from her arm and laid eyes on Cody, who was awkwardly lingering at the door; unsure whether he was about to get his head bitten off.

“What do you want?” she growled, face planting back into the bed.

“Uh- it’s our turn to do the laundry”

Oh. She’d forgotten about that- it was one of the conditions of her board. Disgruntled, she dragged herself from her bed, smoothing her crumpled clothes- realising she was still wearing Alejandro’s jumper, before following him to the laundry room.

Life in the house was entirely different to rooming with her castmates on the show- sure, she still had rocky relationships with most of her housemates (with the way she acted on the show, it wasn’t surprising) but there was some sort of unspoken agreement where everybody was at least civil to one another

Compared to the competition, life was mundane. Finding herself happily chatting with Leshawna and Cody while they folded laundry was something she wouldn’t have envisioned for her future. In the few times they’d seen each other since the competition, Heather and Leshawna had managed to strike up and unlikely friendship- often laughing about their previous hatred for each other.

“So, girl. You gotta tell me- what is the deal between you and the devil incarnate?”

Heather lifted her gaze to meet the other girls’, her skin paling at the question. “Who?”

“You know exactly who I’m talking about.” Pausing to place a towel in a basket, the girl flicked her hair over her shoulder, placing a hand on her hip. “ Your Latino lover? Alejandro? You keep avoiding him like he’s diseased. Meanwhile, he’s chasing you like a puppy dog.”

“ Uh, well-” Heather Stammered. “It’s complicated, things ended badly between us”

“He seems sorry”

“Yeah well, he’s lied before”

“That was in the game” Cody piped in, looking between the two.

“In any case, I’m done with him- I’m here to get my degree, not get distracted”

“Mm-hmm. Wait- Isn’t that his jacket?” Leshawna wasn’t buying it- Heather didn’t blame her- she may be here to get her degree, but a part of her still had feelings for him- and she’d never been good at hiding it.

They finished the chore with idle chatter, and when they finished Heather resolved to take a walk throughout the gardens. Before she left, she removed his jacket, leaving it on the counter in the laundry.

The gardens that surrounded the estate were break taking, she took them all in as she strolled throughout them- trying to clear her mind. Heather had lost track of time when she came across a small pond underneath a large oak tree.

Taking a seat at the tree’s roots, she wrapped her arms around her knees, drawing them closer. She recalled her earlier dream both the thought of the past and the chilly wind sending shivers down her spine. Heather had been sitting below the tree for a while, still exhausted from the day past, dozing off, when she heard a familiar voice.

“You know, if you didn’t want the jacket, you could have at least returned it”

Heather glanced up at him, staring blankly.

“Still not talking to me?” He sighed, taking a seat beside her. “Ahh, Heather. Stubborn as always.”

The wind picked up, the Autumn air turning her lips blue. Alejandro said nothing as he put the jacket around her shoulders, as he had earlier that day.

“You know, it’s two in the morning. No one had seen you since 8 o’clock- not that anyone else cared enough to come look, they figured you’d take care of yourself.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why won’t you leave me alone?”

“Well, Heather,” Alejandro met her eyes, taking her hand in his. “ Because I believe there is still something here”

Heather looking away, pulled her hand from his “ Well, you’re wrong. You can’t just slither your way back into my life” She stood up, brushing the grass off her legs. “Thanks for the jacket.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: 14/05/19   
> So updates will most likely be a bit slower, I've got Uni exams over the next couple weeks, as well as other real life commitments.   
> I'm also going to try and make chapters longer, as I'm not happy with the length, usually I try to find fics with 2000 words minimum per chapter; I'm going to attempt to at least double that per chapter. 
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts! every one i get means a lot, So thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note- this chapter gets a bit Hot n' Heavy so children, you might wanna skip this one

“What did you get on the econ quiz?” Heather turned to see Geoff had caught up beside her. She’d forgotten he was taking the same class.

“I did okay. Why are you even in Econ anyway? You aren’t a business major.” She asked, curiously.

“Event Management Major actually- oh and Film and TV. I wanna put all my partying experience to use” The blond leaned over and tried to peek at her quiz. Pulling away, Heather rolled her eyes, exasperated.

“Right…. What did you get?”

“You haven’t even shown me yours yet, fair trade and all dude.” Geoff gestured for her paper, causing Heather to pull away, repeating her signature eye roll.

“Don’t you have someone else to annoy?”

“Aww Heather, just when we thought you were warming up to the rest of us”

Heather stopped walking. “And what is that supposed to mean?” Raising an eyebrow, she placed her hand on her hip and glared at the boy.

“Chill girl, it’s a joke” Backing up, he cautiously considered his next statement. “But you haven’t been as cold as you used to be”

Heather didn’t say anything and continued her trek to the bus stop, taking in his words. She knew she had played a cold personality on the show- But she hadn’t realised she was ‘warming up’ as Geoff had put it.

“We aren’t vying for a million dollars.  And we aren’t on camera. Besides, the last season you were on was years ago, you barely know me”

“I still watched the show. But you’re right, maybe more people just need to give you a chance.”

“Woah- that might be taking it a bit far” Heather chuckled at the thought

“Hey, the ice queen does have a sense of humour that doesn’t rely on hurting others”

“You’re pushing your luck party boy”

“Okay, okay I’ll leave it.” Geoff chuckled in resolve. “I got a 63 on the quiz by the way”

“98.” She relented, giving in to his wishes.

His eyes widened. “What?”

“I got a 98 on the quiz.” Heather explained, shifting her hold on her books to reveal her score printed on the top of her paper.

“How the hell did you get that on the first quiz?” Geoff asked, eyeing her with a look of both disbelief “Did you insanely study or something?”

“No, I paid attention in class”

“Dude, we’ve had two lectures for this class. There was stuff on the quiz we haven’t even learnt yet.”

“I also happened to pay attention in High School. Works wonders you know.” Rolling her eyes, Heather took a seat at the bus stop, checking the timetable on her phone, bowing her head. Bitter memories rushed back, reminding her of the merciless teasing she’d endured at the hand of her classmates.

“I was too busy with the show, weren’t you?”

“I still graduated on the honour roll. I worked my ass off, gotta become a millionaire one way or another”  She joked, biting her lip at the dark thoughts swarming her mind- she only ‘worked her ass off’ because she had nothing better to do- her arrival back in the real world hadn’t been soft.

Geoff laughed, agreeing with the sentiment. He continued to chat idly with her, helping her distract her mind from negative thoughts. The conversation was somewhat a pleasant distraction for Heather, ignoring the negative voice in her head; getting lost in the chatter.

\---------------------------------------

She really did not want to be here. Heather had so many other things she could do- she could’ve gone shopping and got her nails done; she could’ve been in her sleeping- hell, she could’ve been doing literally _anything_ else.

But when they arrived back at the house, Geoff hadn’t let her retreat to her room. Instead, he’d dragged her to the media room where most of the household was lounging about, half studying and the other half either chatting or focus on the large screen mounted on the wall.

Releasing a small sigh, she eyed the room. It matched the grandeur of the rest of the house- ornate bookshelves laced with precious wood carvings, with intricate gold flares added for a splash of colour; lush navy couches and a soft cream carpet; the coffee tables stacked with various pieces of literature- from Covergirl magazines to Shakespearean texts.

Geoff, who had apparently assumed- since she’d slightly warmed up to her housemates- that it was okay to drag her over to the corner of the room, where a few of her castmates sat around a small table, chattering away.

Heather folded her arms in discomfort, trying to mask the anxious feeling she had in her stomach. _Why did I let him drag me here?_ She thought to herself, tenderly taking a seat on the floor next to Bridgette and leaning back against the couch.

Pondering what had possessed Geoff to try and befriend her, her mind began to spiral. Was he just using her to get answers for the coursework? It wouldn’t have been the first time- both before and after Total Drama, Heather had put up with ingenuity within her so-called friends, the temptation of a possible friend too strong to deny their requests.

 “Heather? Heather!” Waking from her daydream, she turned her head to look at Bridgette.

“Yeah what?” she said, insecurity still clouding her mind.

“Are you coming tomorrow?” the blonde asked, tilting her head

“What’s tomorrow?” Heather questioned, shaking her dark thoughts away and focusing on the exchange.

“Uh, it’s the third Saturday of the month. “

“And that means?”

“Lindsay and Beth have organised a day out” Bridgette leaned back against her boyfriend, who was now perched on the couch behind her. “Laser tag and bowling- I think”

“What are we, five?” Heather jabbed.

“C’mon, Heather. We gotta show the boys we’re superior” Looking at Courtney, Heather raised an eyebrow at her comment.

“It’s teams?”

“Yeah, and girl, we gotta give them a beat-down” Leshawna piped in, high-fiving Bridgette.

The men began to protest,  insisting that they were the superior race. Heather relented, agreeing to go, if only to prove Geoff and DJ wrong. She found herself sliding into a comfortable conversation with the others, laughing along with the teasing banter they shared. In the pit of her stomach, she still felt a little uneasy- like an outsider. However, she tried her best to retain her confident air and pushed the feeling to the back of her mind.

Had you told Heather this was where she’d be three years ago, she most definitely laughed in your face. Heather? Getting along and _living_ with her fellow castmates, and genuinely enjoying herself? It was doubtful. But they were adults now, not competing for a million bucks, and they weren’t on camera.

Heather’s stony façade had slowly been melting away- Geoff was right, she _had_ warmed up, even if it was slightly- and honestly, she didn’t mind it.

\---------------------------------------

“I can’t get this stupid clip to close!” she groaned, throwing her hands in the air. “Why did I agree to this?”

“Because we can’t lose.” Smirked Bridgette, assisting her with the buckle. The lights began to dim, and they turned to face the instructor; a bored-looking teen who drawled in a heavy southern accent, reciting the rules of the game.

Piling into the room, the girls instantly split from the group, ducking into an alcove covered by plastic leaves. Their vests lit up and the gathered in a circle.

“Okay, pair off- and remember, be as stealthy as you can” Beth whispered. “We need to win; I’ve got two weeks of chores riding on this”

The group disbanded, and Heather grabbed Sierra by the hand-When she hadn’t been obsessing over Cody, Sierra had been a strong contender and she was confident in her choice in partners.  Leading her to the dark corner of the room. Back to back, they crouched behind a small wall, and peered over the top; scanning for any sign of the flashing red lights that adorned the other teams’ vests.

Pushing all other thoughts to the back of her mind, she let her competitive instincts take over, transporting her back to the same state of mind she had in her reality TV days. She was here to win- that was her one and only goal. Narrowing her eyes, she crept around the corner sensing her partner moving in sync.

The pair of them darted out of their cover to the next wall, taking cover behind it, staying in their battle position and sweeping the room for any sign of the others- turning her head, Heather spied Courtney and Gwen on the other side of the room, their vests lighting up the room with a soft blue glow, before disappearing behind a large rock.

Spotting a red flash in her periphery, Heather turned, her back to the wall and signalled to Sierra that the enemy was approaching- and they hadn’t noticed them yet.

Heather poised her gun upon the ledge of the half-wall they crouched beneath, positioning it to aim directly at the Tyler’s back, him and Cody completely oblivious to their attack. Firing, Heather’s gun shrieked, emitting a loud firing sound in sync with Sierra’s. They men quickly turned, their lights deactivated and guns useless.

Ducking back into their cover, Heather and Sierra slid onto the floor, laughing at their reactions.

“Piece of Cake” Heather cackled, high fiving Sierra.

“Who’s there?!” Cody’s voice cried from the other side of the room, causing the girls to erupt in giggles once again.

“We- we- should move, before they find us” Sierra whispered in between laughs.

Agreeing, Heather followed her the girl, moving closer to the oppositions base. They each shot down another two players while they ran, quickly disappearing before their victims could retaliate.

Quietly cheering, they both continued to run and duck, shooting any sign of the other team. Reaching the entry to the team’s base, they took out Noah and Owen, both of whom were guarding the small entryway. The duo weaved past the various obstacles, making sure to look over their shoulder in case they were being followed.

Her head was turned; however she was still moving forward- a warning started to escape from Sierra’s lips when Heather ran head-first into a larger, muscular chest. Glancing up at Its owner, she smirked at him, leaping back to make enough space to shoot him. Firing at him, he attempted to both fire back and dodge the beam.

His swift movement caused him to hit the floor with a loud bang, the wooden structure echoing through the room. Glancing behind her, Heather noticed Sierra had disappeared _Some Partner_ she thought trying again to fire at Alejandro.

Stepping back, she fired again, and he rolled out of range of the shot, grabbing her ankle and pulling Heather to the floor with him. Heather tried to find purchase on a nearby ledge, but instead her gun fell from her hands and she joined her rival on the floor.

“You’re not getting away that easy” His grip on her ankle held strong as she kicked at his hand, trying to free herself.

“Get off me!” Heather yelled, doubling her efforts. He relented, shaking his hand in pain. Heather got a hold on her gun again, and went to aim, only to find that he had also pointed his gun at her.

“Looks like we’re at an impasse, Chica” Alejandro laughed

“Over my dead body” she growled in frustration, pulling the trigger. He did the same, and both their vests were deactivated, and Heather took the chance to run back to the team’s home base, quickly reactivating her vest and regrouping with Sierra, the fangirl apologised for disappearing, claiming that Alejandro, while he had missed Heather, hit her instead.

Heather decided, annoyed, to strike out on her own , leaving Sierra behind to guard the base. Determined to beat her opponent, she darted around the hall, taking cover where she could and shooting any flash of colour that didn’t match her own.

As she neared the enemy base, she ran into the majority of her teammates, who were having a shoot-out with several of the opposition in the middle of the field. Heather, using them as cover, pressed on, doing a quick head count of the other team. Only one was missing- and it was him.

Running at a full sprint, she charged towards the base, keeping her eyes open for any sign of her enemy, focused and fuelled with rage.

Panting, she passed through the maze that hid the opposing team’s base, slipping into small, dark room that the base resided in.

She passed through the maze that hid the base of the other team and slipped into the small room that it resided in. Alejandro stood at the other entrance, on watch for attackers. Heather was too quick and quiet and had disabled his gun and hit the small red box that ended the game before he could retaliate.

“YES! YES! YES!” Heather cheered, waving her laser gun in the air. She turned her head to see Alejandro on the floor, groaning.

“Bested, once again” he muttered, hiding his face- mirroring the times she’d defeating him during the competition.

“You know I’m too good, _Al_ ” she taunted, helping him up from the floor where he had landed after leaping to stop her. He shuddered at the nickname, causing her to erupt in laughter. “I’m unbeatable”

 She looked at him, her laughter fading. His eyes held hers, creasing with his smile. For a brief moment, Heathers mind filled with a cloud of warm thoughts- her stomach full to the brim with butterflies. It lasted less than a minute, but she felt a warm sense of familiarity; his warm brown eyes melting all her problems away, his grip on her arm heating her entire body.

He stepped back, awkwardly coughing when his teammates poured through the doorway, complaining loudly about their defeat. Heather, herself was pushed to the ground, grimacing under the weight of her team, who in victory had decided to pile on top of her in celebration.

Heather looked around the dimly lit nightclub, observing the abundance of strangers mixed in with her housemates. They’d taken their outing to the clubbing districts not long after the bowling alley closing. She’d dominated there too, coming out with one of the highest scores in the group.

\---------------------------------------

Drinks had been flowing freely for hours, and Heather was slightly- no, extremely inebriated.  Crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair, she watched as Tyler fell over, knocking both himself and Lindsay into the sticky dance floor. She scanned the dance floor, watching her castmates dancing ang laughing together.

She couldn’t help but feel a small pang of regret. Her current situation mirrored her childhood and the was she felt in her hometown. Heather was an outsider, looking in; preferring to stay on the outskirts rather than let herself get attached and hurt. _I’ve made that mistake a few too many times_ She reminded herself.

Shoving the thought aside and downing the rest of her drink, Heather turned to order another one when she found herself blocked by a muscled chest.

“Hello Stranger” she said drunkenly, placing her arm on his shoulder. “Come to cry about your defeat?”

“You wound me Heather”  

“Anything I can do to make it better?” Heather soothed mockingly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Exactly how many drinks have you had Heather?” He chuckled, his voice low, placing his hands on her waist.

“Oh, just a few…”

“ _Chica.”_

“Okay, so maybe more than a few” she giggled.

Alejandro looked at her, studying her face. Her hair was cut short, styled in her signature ponytail and tucked behind her ears.

“ Ah, I thought so.”

“Wanna another?” Heather asked, tilting her head with a pout.

He complied, stepping aside to let her order, his hand remaining on her waist.

“Two tequila shots and two sunrises please”

“Do we really need shots?” He whispered in her ear, brushing the few strands of hair that had come lose out of her face.

“We? Those are for me.”

He chuckled, and Heather welcomed the warm sound with a drunken smile, before ordering another two shots and handing them to him, beckoning for him to drink.

“You know, you shouldn’t pressure people. Alcohol is bad for the liver” Heather rolled her eyes at his quip.

“Shut up and take the shots”

“If you insist” He sighed jokingly, throwing back the liquor.

\---------------------------------------

“I….fucking….hate...you” Heather growled in the short breaks she got from his lips.

“Sure you do”

He lowered his mouth on hers again, lips gliding together, the taste of tequila mixed with his own sweet flavour invading her mouth.  Heather wrapped her arms behind his head, drawing him closer and running her hands through his dark hair. She’d always loved his hair- the way his glossy locks felt when she combed through it with her fingers and the smell of his shampoo gave her an uncanny sense of comfort.

Alejandro tore his mouth away from hers, travelling his soft lips down her neck, Leaving tender marks on the delicate skin.

 

“I’m serious” She breathed, leaning into him. Stumbling backwards, Heather felt her back slam into his bedroom door with a thud. Praising that the hallway was empty and the house quiet, she reached back and fiddled with the doorknob, pulling him into the room as soon she managed to open it.

“Okay” Alejandro smirked, spinning her around and pressing her body against the door, drawing a gasp from her lungs. The lock clicked as she lent on the door, pinned between it and his chiselled form.

She continued to get lost in him, taking the constant tension and rage she felt around him and harnessing it to fuel her desire, rarely taking short breaks for a breath of air. Pulling away slightly, he began to undo the top the top few buttons on her blouse, gazing down at her and panting heavily.

Following his example, she yanked the zipper of his jacket down, revealing a tight crimson shirt underneath. Locking lips again, Alejandro’s hands wandered around her waist, resting on the small of her back and sliding coolly underneath the edge of her shirt. His warm hands were an invitation, and she tugged her jacket off, letting the dark leather crumple on the floor.

Heather placed her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, his natural heat warming her freezing skin. Grasping at his shirt, she pulled the fabric over his head and ran her hands over his dark skin, taking in his beauty. She studied his figure, glossing over his toned body with her fingers, splaying them on his chest.

“You’re so beautiful _Mi Amor_ ” Alejandro muttered, airing her very thoughts, unbuttoning the rest of her blouse and freeing her shoulders. Trailing kisses along her neck and leaving small marks on the flesh, he worked his way down, tracing the outline of her collarbone, reaching behind her to unclasp her undergarments.

Heather kicked the item to the side, allowing it to join the other discarded clothes on the floor, before pushing back against him. Letting her take control, Alejandro relaxed, melting into her. Heather walked them back and shoved him onto the bed, leaving him to lay there and take in her ethereal shape with adoring eyes.

He looked upon her with a gaze of pure admiration, his eyes tracing every inch of her form. She blushed under his stare, her previous anger melting away with every passing moment. Stepping towards him, she returned his stare, lacing her fingers in his.

Falling atop him, Heather placed a leg in between his. She held herself slightly above him, gently brushing his nose with her own and breathing heavily, her heart racing

“We shouldn’t be doing this” Heather panted, resting her forehead on his, eyes closed. They’d broken up- and they both were completely inebriated.

“Are you telling me you don’t want to?” He chuckled, leaning into her.

“I didn’t say that”

Meeting his lips again, she climbed onto the bed, placing a leg in between his. He moved in sync with her every motion, sliding his hands along her back, his warm hands heating her bare skin. Alejandro’s hands travelled down her body, cupping her backside.

A small moan escaped her lips, and he took the opportunity to roll on top, pinning her to the bed. She squirmed underneath him, trying to wrestle free of his grip. Their tongues battled for dominance, exploring each other’s mouths. Alejandro won their fight and Heather release the tension, letting him take control.

His mouth travelled south, testing the waters at her chest. She willed him to go on and he continued down, causing her to emit a load moan. In that moment- possibly due to a mix of the overwhelming pleasure and the copious amounts of alcohol she had earlier consumed- Heather would’ve married him.

As she reached her peak, his motions became more intense- she was writhing underneath him, squirming and begging for more. Heather let out a cry of pleasure as her granted her wish, leaving her with the warming, tingling sensation spreading through her body, subsiding slowly as he slowed his ministrations. She lay back, completely satisfied and panting, allowing herself time to recover.

Alejandro crawled up beside her, a smirk on his handsome face.

”Enjoying yourself?”

She returned his look, grabbing his wrist and flipping him over, and evil grin on her face.

“Now it’s your turn”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! It's also about double the length, so I hope you enjoy it.  
> Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Her head was POUNDING. The sun was too bright. Her only solace was the fact that the satin sheets and the fluffy duvet were keeping her warm, Heather thought, drawing them closer.

_Wait. I don’t have satin sheets._ Heather realised, sitting up and stretching, letting her feet meet the cold tiles. _I don’t have tiles either._

Her eyes widened open, confused as to where she was. She looked to the large window, which stretched from the floor to the ceiling; this wasn’t her room- but it was still the same house. _Oh no, oh no, oh no no no no no no!_  She reluctantly turned her head- confirming her worst fears.

“You have GOT to be kidding me!”  Heather shrieked, recoiling and grabbing at the covers to cover her bare chest.

“Chica… let me sleep” Alejandro moaned, waving her off before flinging his eyes open and springing up. “Hold on- what are you doing here?”

“I think it’s pretty obvious!”

“Well, I don’t remember much from last night” Rubbing his head, he leaned back against the wooden frame of the bed. “I’d be ever so grateful if you enlightened me”

“It’s a bit foggy for me too!” Standing up to collect her clothes, she ran around the room, her body aching from the previous nights’ activities. “So I can’t help there”

“Please, Chica. Stop yelling.”

“Well excuse me if I’m a tad freaked out by waking up in someone else’s bed!”

Sighing, Alejandro stood and collected one of her discarded shoes from the floor, offering it to her. “Can we talk?”

“Why would I want to talk to you?”

He eyed her with an exasperated look, placing a hand on his hip.

“Heather”

“Don’t ‘Heather’ me, Al. Give me that-“ she snapped, the nickname causing him to wince and snatching the shoe from his hand.

“Chica-“

“And stop calling me that!” Heather yelled, storming out of the room, slamming the door.

Running down the hallway, she shivered. In her haste to get away from him, Heather had only managed to pull on her shirt – which was luckily quite long, and her underwear.

She moved quickly but quietly through the halls, praising the fact that most of her housemates were still in bed due to their probable state of hangover- much like her own. Heather sprinted through the corridor on the balls of her feet, trying to get herself back as quickly- and quietly as possible.

Her luck was short lived however, cursing when she ran headfirst into Bridgette.

“Can this morning get ANY worse” Heather whined, rubbing her knee, which had taken the brunt of the fall.

“Heather? What are you doing in this wing?”

“Long story. I’d really rather not talk about it.” Taking the blonde girl’s hand and  pulling herself up, Heather scrambled to collect her fallen belongings.

“Okay, well I’m here if you need to talk” Bridgette said, eyeing Heather’s neck before leaving her to her thoughts.

_Why was she staring at my neck?_ Heather pondered as she reached her room, locking the door behind her and leaning against it.

About to throw herself on the bed in frustration, she paused, catching sight of herself in the mirror. Heather tenderly approached it, brushing her fingers against the litter of purple marks that covered her neck.

“Oh for the love of GOD!” she groaned, inspecting her neck, pulling the collar of her shirt down to reveal even more love bites, her skin almost covered, a telling sign of the previous night’s events.

_Why do I get myself into situations like this?_ Heather flopped onto her bed, face down in the cushions, her head still pounding.

Resolving that her headache wasn’t going away, she grabbed the TV remote and flicked through the channels, settling on a rerun of an old sitcom.

__ _ _ _ __

_Three days. Three days they had been stranded in Jamaica._

_Montego bay was beautiful, the weather warm and sunny and the sand soft. It was paradise, and the break from the competition gave Heather the opportunity to relax, something that was rarely an option on their travels._

_The sun was high, and Heather took full advantage of it- she’d set herself up with a towel on the beach and took the break to bask in the warm rays away from her team- Courtney and Gwen were somehow becoming friends and Sierra and Cody were building a sandcastle further down the beach. They’d all pair off and the amount of love and affection was driving her up the wall._

I’m on a team of lunatics. _Heather thought, laying back on the sand, watching Gwen and Courtney bicker over an umbrella._

_“Mind if I join you?”_

_Heather looked up, seeing her rival standing over her. He was clad only in his swimsuit, and Heather praised the fact she was wearing her sunglasses as she examined his toned body, her eyes combed his figure, appreciating how his shiny hair caught the sunlight._ _A small sense of dizziness washed over her as she eyed him- he was quite possibly the hottest person she’d ever met- not that she would ever dream of admitting it- especially not to him._

_“It’s a free world” she said, laying back and resting her heard on her arms._

_“I asked if you minded, not if I could.”_

_“I don’t care”_

_“Alright then” Alejandro sighed, sitting beside her on the sand. Heather wasn’t sure if it was the heat or not, but she felt flushed the longer he sat there, tension brewing between them._

_“You really do look great in that bikini”_

_“Rack off” Heather snapped, rolling her eyes_

_“I’m not lying”_

_“Well, I’m not going to fall for your shit”_

_“Whatever do you mean Chica”_

_“Don’t call me that.” She growled, becoming more and more agitated._

_“No need to be so snappy” Alejandro leant back in the sand, laying close to her._

_“No need to be so irritating” Heather turned her head to face him, studying his face. “Either stop being such a rat or leave me the hell alone”_

_“Are you saying you don’t enjoy my company?”_

_“Only when you talk”_

_“Harsh”_

_“And?”_

_“And, we aren’t competing, lighten up” He rolled onto his side, leaning close._

_“Can I not get a break around here?” She groaned, throwing her head back. He raised an eyebrow, Studying her._

_“Tough week?”_

_“My teammates are idiots. Sierra doesn’t do anything that isn’t stalking Cody, and the little power duo over there are suddenly best friends. I seem to be the only sane one”_

_“I know the feeling” Alejandro agreed, taking a seat beside her. “My team… well you’ve seen them”_

_“Well, yeah- that’s why we always kick your ass”_

_“May I remind you that you lost the last challenge?” He jested_

_“That was dumb luck and you know it- “_

_“It definitely was not!”_

_“Was too”_

_“Fine. Race you to the water?” He challenged, a cheeky smirk crossing his face._

_“You’re on, Al” She quipped, laughing as he was shuddered at the name, using the moment to speed off down the sand, taking advantage of the opportunity for a head start._

_Heather was but a few metres from the water, when she sensed him on her tail. She pushed harder, matching his pace in order to maintain her lead._

_Splashing into the rolling waves, she cheered in victory waving her arms in the air._

_“Ha! Knew I’d win!”_

_“That was a dirty trick and you know it Heather” he chuckled , shaking his head._

_“You’d know quite a bit about dirty tricks, wouldn’t you?”_

_“All is fair in love in war Chica” Wading closer, he placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up._

_“And what would you call this?”_

_“War!” Alejandro exclaimed, dunking her in the cool water before running away, dodging her attempts at a counterattack in between spluttering and coughing out the water she’d accidentally swallowed._

_Recovering, she took the offensive. She had her game face on- he’d started, then she was going to finish it. Laughing evily, she splashed water at him causing him flinched, turning to wipe the salty water from his eyes._

_“SUCK IT!” Heather yelled she leapt onto his back pushing down on his shoulders. He leant forward and Heather went tumbling over his head, landing in his arms._

_“You didn’t exactly think that through, did you?” Alejandro chuckled quietly, catching her._

_Heather felt her breath quickening, acutely aware of how close she was to him._

_“Still got you though”_

_“Touché” His muscled arms continued to hold her close, his hands resting on the small of her back. Heather’s mind was racing, and her heart beating a mile a minute._

_“C-can you put me down?”_

_“Do you really want me to?”_

_“Uh-“_

_“JUST MAKE OUT ALREADY” Heather turned to see Gwen and Courtney laying on the beach, having completely lost it at the latter’s comment._

_Coughing awkwardly, Heather stepped away, shaking free from his grasp. “I should, uh go…”_

_“Um, yeah- I’ll see you later”_

__ _ _ _ __

_That ‘Later’ didn’t arrive until they were all shuffling back onto the plane, sharing an awkward smile, they passed each other silently before splitting off with their respective teams._

_Loser class was damp, leaky and smelt of old cheese,_

A week later, Heather was still avoiding him like the plague. Her mind was running constant with memories like their first almost-kiss, as well as others like it.

She’d taken to wearing turtlenecks- ones she’d had to borrow over the last week, determined to hide the evidence from both herself and anyone that would question her- and living in this house, that was almost everyone.

She’d barely left her room since the incident, emailing her professors and doing her coursework from the safety of her bed, emerging only to do her chores and use the bathroom. The marks that covered her neck had long healed, but the feeling in her stomach held her hostage- she wasn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

 It was Saturday by the time her housemates finally managed to coax her out of her room- Lindsay insisting she (and every other female in the house) help her pick an outfit to meet Tyler’s parents.

Despite her protests , she was dragged across the hall by her blonde housemate. Taking a seat on the floor, Heather eyed the soft, offensively pink carpet, drawing her knees to her chest. The others were scattered throughout the room while Lindsay modelled different looks, chatting and laughing amongst themselves, while Heather attempted to shrink into the corner.

Without looking, Heather knew it was Bridgette when the blonde sat beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“You okay? You haven’t been at any meals all week.”

“I’m fine, I’ve just felt a bit off lately”

“Is it because of-”

“No, as if.” Heather cut her off, looking her in the eye before continuing. “I’ve just been sick”

“Alright, but if you want to talk to someone-”

“Look, you don’t need to act like you’re my friend, I’m fine” Heather snapped in a hushed voice, cutting her off again.

“Heather, I thought- now that we’re off the show-”

“Just drop it okay! I get that you’re trying to be nice or whatever but I. am. Fine.”

The blonde looked hurt by her icy comment, before returning to a look of understanding, patting Heather on the shoulder and leaving her with her thoughts.

The small voice in the back of Heather’s mind was running rampant, nagging and chanting _They don’t want you here, they’re just pretending._

Heather stayed in the corner, curled into herself- and luckily, no one else tried speaking to her while Lindsay pranced around the room in various outfits. 

Lindsay had changed in the few years after the show had finished, she’d matured slightly and now instead of the preppy-cheerleader type she had resembled when they first met, she had grown into looks worthy of a goddess.

Each dress she tried on further made her look like an ethereal being, floating in and out of her wardrobe, soft pinks, blues and brilliant golds and reds swirling around the room, each time coming out more beautiful than the last.

It had taken several hours, but finally Lindsay had decided on her outfit, and Heather was relieved when Lindsay finally managed to pick an outfit, eager to escape to the solitude of her room, she rushed off before one of her housemates could pull her into another group activity. 

Exhausted, Heather reached her room and sighed, feeling both emotionally and physically drained. She paced over to her dresser to start her nightly routine, completing it with haste and settling into bed, falling asleep to the quiet rustling of the trees outside her window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!  
> I am so so so sorry this took so long, it's been almost three months since I last updated this and I feel terrible.   
> I've been really busy with travelling, uni and work, which is the reason for the large delay, however I'm currently staying put and taking a break from uni, so I should be updating a bit quicker.   
> Anyway, hope you enjoy and leave a comment letting me know what you think!  
> love always,   
> Skye xo


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